


Amaris

by darlingvhenan



Series: You Are a Memory [4]
Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Childbirth, Domestic Bliss, Family Fluff, Other, Please read the notes for a more detailed content warning, Pregnancy, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, You'll probably have cavities
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2020-01-31 11:08:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18590035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darlingvhenan/pseuds/darlingvhenan
Summary: It finally felt real to her.The little thumping heartbeat she could use her magic to reach out to...listen to.Smiling, she wipes away the tears, cradling her stomach before fondly whispering-"My little love..."





	Amaris

**Author's Note:**

> Finally finished this. Started it back in December as a finale of sorts to [these](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15793347) [three](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16575254) [fics.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16649758)
> 
> POSSIBLE TRIGGER WARNINGS:  
> This contains pregnancy, a short non-graphic childbirth scene, and brief implications of a past miscarriage.  
> Please do not read if any of these make you uneasy. ♡

The weather was gloomy- rain poured throughout the town and not a single ray of sunshine peeked through the dark clouds.   
  
Asra and Elise were cuddled up inside after deciding to close shop for the day, as the stormy weather had given them an excuse for a much needed break. They lounged on their sofa, books and cups of tea in hand with thick blankets puddled around in a cozy blanket nest.   
  
Elise nuzzled up closer to Asra, pressing her cheek to his shoulder. She interlaced her hand with his -where he idly traced the small yet growing swell of her abdomen- as she peeked at what he was reading.  
  
The silence between them was comfortable, the only sound being the soft pitter pat of rain, but Elise could sense that Asra was holding back his thoughts.   
  
So she spoke.   
  
"Asra, are you okay?"  
  
He seems taken aback, pausing for but a moment before answering.   
  
"Of course, why?" The look he receives is incredulous, and Asra immediately lets out a sigh of quick defeat.  
  
"Okay, _okay_ \- It's just that..." he hesitates, as if he's nervous to say what he's thinking, "You only have about five more months before the baby arrives, yet we haven't gotten anything together for them."   
  
Elise holds back a flinch.   
  
It was true. Not a single article of clothing, toys, or blankets were bought or made.   
  
She swallows and twiddles their fingers together, eyes focusing anywhere but his own as Elise rewets her lips to murmur, "You're right, yeah...I guess I've just been a little anxious to really get anything."  
  
Squeezing her hand, Asra pulls Elise closer- if that was even possible as they were almost curled up on each other- to hold her tight, reassuringly.   
  
"You don't have to be afraid anymore..."   
  
She sighs, heavily, "I know... it's just this fear that I can't get rid of that easily."  
  
"We'll get through this together."  
  
-  
  
The following week, Asra leaves for Nopal early in the morning- off to the markets to get some more uncommon ingredients that needed to be restocked.   
  
Elise worked as usual while he was absent, opening up the shop to welcome in any customers as she spent her time organizing and cleaning, only pausing to help anyone who came in.   
  
By the time that she'd finished and closed up the shop, the sun was setting.   
  
Yet Asra wasn't back yet.   
  
This didn't worry her so much as it was a long trip, even when riding, and her body protested with too much exhaustion for her to even humor the idea of staying up and waiting for him.   
  
With sore muscles and heavy legs, she trudged up the stairs to get ready for bed, Faust in hand.   
  
She goes about her night routine- getting water for Faust and drinking a cup of herbal tea before changing into loose, comfortable clothing. Elise skips her step of braiding her hair, too exhausted to fumble with the unruly curls.  
  
Once she'd put on her pajamas and looked to the bed she was done for, and just as soon as she plopped down into the covers Elise fell asleep...  
  
Until a few hours later, when she's awoken to the sound of the shops heavy door slamming shut, and a string of curses following.   
  
Asra was home, and trying to stay quiet... though he was- rather _obviously_ \- failing.   
  
He's trying so hard that Elise feels a tiny smile forming across her cheeks when she hears quiet footsteps coming up the stairs. Eventually into their bedroom.  
  
At the sound of snapping fingers and a lantern fire burning low, _humming_ , Elise peeks her head out from the nest of blankets with squinted eyes and wild hair.   
  
Asra immediately smiles at the sight of her, "I'm sorry love, did I wake you?" he chuckles, kicking off his boots and placing his coat nearby. He walks up to the bed, sitting beside Elise on the covers as he takes hold of her hand, placing a soft kiss on her knuckles then rubbing her smooth palm with his thumb.  
  
Elise lets out a soft grumble and stretches, "Mhm, it's okay though..."   
  
She welcomes him home, sharing a brief embrace until spotting a seemingly full canvas bag behind Asra.  
  
"What'd you buy?" She sits up, eyeing the bag on his shoulder.   
  
"Oh! I got some extra things in Nopal-" Asra pulls it over to rummage through its contents, "The bag with the ingredients is already downstairs, I'll put up the stock in the morning."   
  
Asra finally grabs what he's reaching for, and he pulls it out of the bag to show Elise.  
  
It's a neat bundle containing vibrant fabrics of all sorts, ranging from rich tie dyes to pastel designs. Each sheet of fabric is neatly folded and stacked, tied off in a ribbon.   
  
"What are they for?" Elise examines each fabric, admiring their beauty and quality as Asra seems to shyly look down.   
  
"To make clothes... for our baby."  
  
Elise pauses, but her tone is soft, gentle and assuring as she speaks.   
  
"They're lovely."   
  
Asra smiles at her response, getting up to place the bundle on a nearby table, and he sits back onto the plush bed beside Elise- who thinks that's all until he picks one last thing from the shopping bag.  
  
It was a bundle of wool yarn, thick and soft, fading from a soft yellow to pink ombré with every few feet.   
  
"Yarn?"  
  
He presents it to her, and Elise feels the soft strands as Asra speaks, "I thought you may like it... in case you wanted to knit something for them."   
  
Elise didn't want to admit the fact that she hadn't touched her knitting needles in what felt like eternity. After the masquerade, the one where they lost their first babe... she didn't touch the needles for weeks. Not until she finally sat down to finish the lavender and ivory blanket, gifting it to a child in need.  
  
She glances over to where the rocking chair rests, the woven basket full of unfinished rolls of yarn and bamboo knitting needles resting right beside it.   
  
The thought of her sitting there, slowly rocking and knitting like she did so often before...it filled her with an emotion she couldn't describe. Joy? _Unease?_    
  
Regardless, she smiles, genuinely.  
  
"I love it. This yarn is beautiful," Elise thanks him, feeling the soft strings one last time before allowing Asra to put the bundle away. She watches as he gets ready for bed, lazily throwing on a pair of pajama pants to crawl into the covers next to her.   
  
They curl up together, embracing each other as their legs intertwine, and Asra's cheek is pressed against Elise's shoulder. With the gentle hum of her heartbeat, and the soft pitter pat of the little life he could just _barely_ sense, they soon fell asleep.   
  
-  
  
Within a couple of weeks, Elise finds herself in front of the wooden rocking chair. She'd avoided sitting in the chair or even knitting as she didn't want to relive memories that made her heart ache.   
  
Though, the ball of pastel wool was placed in the wicker basket beside the chair after Asra gave it to her, just waiting to be used.   
  
Elise is slow to settle onto the cushioned seat, body protesting as she plopped down and situated her skirt- the soft cotton pooling over the tips of her toes. Re-wrapping her hand knit shawl across her shoulders, Elise tentatively reaches down for the right sized knitting needles, carefully placing them in her lap along with the yarn.   
  
It takes her a while to get used to the feeling again, she'd almost forgotten how to knit after not picking it up for so long.   
  
Elise is in the middle of unraveling the square she'd been practicing on when she feels it. Barely noticeable at first, Elise almost brushes it off, until she feels it again, more prominent.   
  
A fluttering sensation, akin to butterflies floating around in her abdomen- stronger, but _there_.   
  
Quickening.   
  
It'd been so long since Elise had felt this feeling, she'd almost worried something was wrong this late in. Her first babe was noticeable very early, as their aura was so bright and strong, but this was softer and dainty.   
  
Elise's hands tremble as she sets the yarn and needles to the side, warm tears dripping down her cheeks as she feels across her stomach, earning her another flutter.  
  
_It finally felt real to her._    
  
The little thumping heartbeat she could use her magic to reach out to... _listen_ to.  
  
Smiling, she wipes away the tears, cradling her stomach before fondly whispering-  
  
" _My little love..._ "   
  
-  
  
They hadn't planned a big party or anything, neither really being the type for huge crowds and commotion, so Asra and Elise had just invited their friends over in the last few months. They'd been prepping for their baby, gratefully accepting heartfelt gifts from the people they cared so dearly for...  
  
Nadia had gifted them with some traditional children's books, straight from Prakra. She had told them how these were the same books she read and learned from, how her father read to her every night.  
  
Portia and Julian gifted them handmade baby toys- all colorfully painted on soft wood, or sewed stuffed animals. Julian handed Elise a large jar full of what appeared to be crushed salts and a colorful array of dried herbs and flowers.   
  
He had explained how it was a blend made by Mazelinka, for Elise to use as a bath soak after birth to help her heal. She'd already recognized most of the herbs in the jar, having made similar mixtures for other expecting parents. Calendula, chamomile, yarrow... all rich in healing agents.  
  
Muriel visited Asra at the shop one day while Elise was out browsing the morning market. By the time she returned home, Asra was waiting for her with a big grin spread across his face, leading her up the stairs.   
  
She was suspicious as he led her to their bedroom with a gentle palm against her back, and when they turned the corner... she was met with Muriel standing in front of an object that was covered with a large blanket.  
  
Muriel looks amusingly awkward in their tiny home, almost too tall for their ceilings. Regardless, he shuffles around the hidden object, pulling the blanket away to reveal a wooden crib. It's placed just a few feet away from the couple's bed, already adorned with colorful bedding- and when Elise walks closer to examine it, her eyes burn with oncoming tears.   
  
Inside the crib is a stuffed animal resembling a bear- the exact one she'd been gifted by her own parents. Elise had managed to save it before her childhood home had been demolished, too destroyed in the accident that took her parents from her all those years ago.   
  
She never had the chance to fix up the bear, to remake its charred leg, but she noticed a colorful patchwork leg had been sewed on. The stitching wasn't the best, but it was obvious that there was quite the amount of care and dedication put into mending the stuffed bear.   
  
Elise picks up the bear, holding it close and just barely noticing the lingering scent of myrrh. She had looked over to Asra as he admitted to staying up more than one night learning how to sew together stuffed animals, so he could fix this small, remaining piece of her childhood.   
  
The crib was beautiful, hand carved by Muriel. Various designs of animals playing together were etched into the frame, down into the legs of the crib. It was obvious that this had been a long project, probably _months_ in the making.   
  
Elise walked up to Muriel, genuinely thanking him, and eventually sharing an embrace between him and Asra, until Muriel left with a bright flush on his cheeks.   
  
Finally, Aisha and Salim visit. Aisha's carrying a basket tied up with a tie-dyed cloth, while Salim is holding a covered ceramic dish, soon proven to be a delicious homemade meal.   
  
When they finish dinner together, Aisha and Salim tell stories of how wild Asra was as a baby, and Elise shared her own childhood stories that she could remember. Though, she can't help but wonder how her own mother and father would have reacted to finding out they'd soon enough be grandparents. She knows they would have loved their baby- _would have loved Asra_...  
  
_Especially_ his parents, who were now urging Elise to open the gift they brought.  
  
Aisha hands over the basket, and Elise carefully unties the fabric encasing it, revealing that it was full of colorful cloth diapers- and a big smile graces Aisha's features, "They've been charmed to always keep your baby warm and cozy."  
  
" _Ah_ , thank you," Elise returns the smile, graciously accepting the gift, "this is very kind and thoughtful of you both."   
  
Asra smirks at the two women, "This is really nice. Especially since we didn't have any nappies yet."   
  
Salim looks confused though simultaneously amused, "Oh? With this little amount of time left before they arrive?"  
  
"Well, it wouldn't be the _first_ time an Alnazar baby decided to go nude," Aisha chuckles, and as if on cue, everyone - _even Faust, Chimes, and Flamel_ \- look directly towards Asra.   
  
He shrugs, smiling sheepishly at the small group who all share a laugh.  
  
-  
  
It wouldn't be much longer for them, perhaps two more months, until the little one would arrive. So Elise had been spending most of her days upstairs while Asra watched over the shop.   
  
Her body was heavy and sore, and she didn't want to push herself too much, so she had resorted to staying in bed or propped up on their sofa. Today was an especially painful day for Elise, with her leg acting up again, so Asra had taken the day off to just be there with her for comfort...  
  
As much as he _could_ be though, as he was napping on Elise while she laid in their bed knitting the baby blanket that was _so_ close to being completed.   
  
Asra's cheek was squished up against Elise's chest, using her as a pillow. The rhythmic _thump_ of her heartbeat had easily lulled him to sleep, and he curled around her form protectively- an arm wrapped around her swollen belly.   
  
Elise finished the final knit-stitch on the blanket, tying the end off as she briefly admired her work. She places the blanket and knitting needles to the side, placing a palm on her belly and using her free hand to mindlessly play with Asra's soft curls. She glances down to see his white eyelashes flutter lightly with the beginnings of a dream, and she swears that if she laid there much longer then Asra would start drooling on her in his sleep.   
  
Not that she even really minded.   
  
As the babe starts stretching within her, Elise tries adjusting her body a little to make herself at least _somewhat_ more comfortable, accidentally rousing Asra from his sleep. He almost worries- already swamped with anxiety as the days grow nearer and nearer- that with every sigh or sudden movement he'd bombard her with question after question to see if she was alright.    
  
Asra props himself up on an elbow, groggily, to talk to Elise until he feels the reason she was repositioning. His gasp is quiet as he splays his palm against her belly, eyes wide and now fully awake.   
  
He holds his hand there for a minute, and his expression drops at the loss of movement. Elise notices and gently intertwines their fingers, moving his hand to where she felt the baby's movement, and Asra lays his hand flat again as she holds it.   
  
She feels a more intense kick, and the smallest of smiles graces her lips when she sees Asra react to the movement- his amethyst eyes becoming dewy.   
  
"I haven't felt her move until today..."  
  
" _Her_?" Elise inquired, quirking a brow.   
  
"Just a gut feeling," Asra sheepishly looks down at where Elise's hand rests atop his, turning to lace their fingers, gently kissing her knuckles.  
  
-  
  
They weren't expecting the sharp cramps to come this soon, almost over a month early.   
  
Asra was quick to play mother hen, gathering pillows and blankets to make sure Elise was as comfortable as possible in the makeshift nest-of-sorts. His anxiety really cracked through as Elise just buried her face in the pillows during every cramp, trying to stay calm.   
  
Within hours, Julian and Nazali arrived.   
  
Nazali had already been in Vesuvia for other business but was easily coerced by Nadia to stay a while longer, as Elise would rather have experienced doctors that she actually knew and trusted to be by her side instead of some unfamiliar midwives...  
  
Their bedroom radiated a comforting vibe as the light from the full moon illuminated it through the window, and the few candles lit provided a warm aura as incense burned nearby.   
  
Yet, while the ambiance was comforting, a nervous energy lurked throughout the room, only growing worse with every whine of pain.     
  
"You're doing beautifully, love," Asra rubs his thumb along the inner of Elise's thigh where he's hoisted her right knee up to her chest. With his free hand, he reaches over her to grab a chilled and damp rag to wipe away the beads of sweat forming on her brow.   
  
Elise throws her head back against the pillow, biting her lip to try and stifle a cry, ultimately failing as a pained whimper escapes her.   
  
Her grip on Asra's arm tightens, nails digging whitened crescents into his wrists, and it's all he can do to whisper words of comfort while reassuringly squeezing her hand. Asra's heart aches with every tremble of fear and pain he can see- _and feel_ \- surging through her.   
  
With a final cry from Elise, the energy in the room shifts abruptly- and Nazali holds their baby up on their forearm, trying to get a cry or breath out as calmly as possible. Julian can only watch on in silent hope, cloths at the ready nearby a hot water basin, providing Nazali the space they needed to work.   
  
Asra helps to prop Elise up as she reached for them, voice cracking while she _begs_ for Nazali to hand her the baby- _her baby_ \- as tears threatened to fall.   
  
Suddenly, a shrill cry echoes in the dead silent bedroom, and any worries were sighed out in relief at the sound.   
  
Immediately the newborn, a girl, is placed upon Elise's now bare chest, and her cries quiet down almost instantly upon being reunited with her mother.   
  
All Elise and Asra can do is weep, cradling the infant as they let the tears fall freely. Though, for once, their sobs were not of despair, but pure, _overwhelming_ love and joy.   
  
The two doctors let the couple have their moment, not wanting to disrupt the crucial bonding.  
  
-  
  
Julian couches beside their bed as Nazali cleans and stitches Elise who lay nearby, Asra at her side. He was making sure the baby was okay, listening to the thump of her heartbeat and checking if her lungs were healthy- soon proven when he moves to weigh her.   
  
Julian gently picks her up to place her atop a thin cloth, holding the edges so he can lift her above the bed to check a handheld scale. The movements earn him a rather angry, _ear-piercing_ wail and he is careful to place her back on the bed, stuttering out apologies as though the tiny little thing would even understand.   
  
"Guess she didn't like that, huh?" Nazali smirks over at Julian, wiping their hands on a cloth one last time- and they swear Julian looked like he was a scolded puppy.   
  
The morning sun is close to rising when Nazali and Julian finally finish with cleaning up the bed sheets and replacing them. They bid farewell to the new little family, and finally make their leave while Asra and Elise curl up in their bed, embracing each other and the new life.  
  
Asra nuzzles his cheek on Elise's shoulder, watching in awe as their daughter nurses.   
  
Exhaustion is thick in Elise's throat as she speaks, eyelids fluttering with every second that passes, " _Look at her..._ " She gently brushes her fingers through the baby's still damp, platinum curls- tucking a little one behind her ear.   
  
"Words will never express the happiness you've gifted me," Asra smiles as their baby grabs onto Elise's thumb, "I don't know what I've done to deserve it, or you. _Both of you_."   
  
He counts each of the baby’s perfect little toes- all ten- her tiny foot barely taking up half of his palm.   
  
Elise sighs, craning her head to breathe into a kiss, softly, _sweetly_ , "It was all worth it, my love."   
  
Faust slithers up to the couple, carefully coiling around Asra's arm to curiously flick her tongue in the direction of the now sleeping newborn.  
  
" _Baby? Name!_ "  
  
Asra chuckles at Faust's enthusiasm, giving her chin rubs, "What should we name her?"  
  
Elise pauses for a moment, remembering the few names they barely debated on. She looks out the window to watch as the full moon slowly disappeared into the trees, welcoming the morning sun.  
  
_"Amaris."_

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for joining me on this journey. Elise definitely needed a happy, peaceful ending after I put her through so much lmao, and so many others agreed and asked for a final part to this series. (Though...when inspiration strikes...write...maybe there will be more...who knows...)
> 
> Leave a kudos or a comment if you like~ comments are highly appreciated and encourage me to continue what I do.
> 
> Find me on [tumblr](https://darlingvhenan.tumblr.com/)


End file.
